Passing tourists often stop to watch and photograph Thu at work. Few are aware that he is one of the few chả mực makers who still craft the local specialty by hand.

A dish of xôi (sticky rice) and chả mực (fried squid paste) waiting to be served to customers at a restaurant in Ha Long Town. Photo: Thuy Hang

Thu said it takes him 30-45 minutes to grind some three kilograms of squid, while a machine can churn out as many as ten kilograms “in an instant.”

Thu said he buys mực mai – a species of squid with a white, thick body – directly from fishermen in Cat Hai Town in nearby Hai Phong City. The squid is renown for its taste and nutritional value.

After the grinding process, his daughter cuts the paste into small flat cakes, and deep-fries them in high-quality vegetable oil to ensure a pleasant yellow color.

Due to the time-consuming and complex process, Thu’s chả mực costs VND400,000-450,000 (US$19-21) per kilogram, compared to the mechanically-made paste that sells for VND230,000-260,000 ($11-12) per kilogram.

Thu said he produces more than 20 kilograms of fried squid paste every day, which is sold at his seafood restaurant Yen Nhuan at Cai Dam Market and to customers in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the south-central province of Khanh Hoa.